Change Reg Hoses

[Bubbletrubble]

Frankly, on most of my regs, you would not have a place to even use the second wrench - either on the 1st or 2nd. SPG swivels, yes . . . . there *are* multiple fittings/nuts there to use dual wrenches on.

I hold to what I said - if you crank on it so much that anything would break/shift/mis-adjust, then you are likely going gorilla on it, and the problem isn't the second wrench - it's the loose nut behind it .

Having said that, there is no reason not to, but, as I said above, at least on my stuff, it would be impossible to use one if you tried, so best to know how to do it right, and not need it.

And @bubbletrouble - I've been doing this for 30+ years, so I think I have a good grasp of the simple concepts involved . . .

- Tim

Tim, I doubt that you've been servicing regs for 30+ years. It's pretty clear you don't understand what I'm talking about. How many scuba regs have you assembled from scratch...ever?

If you have a plastic 2nd stage and you are removing/reattaching a reg hose to it, then you should be using two wrenches to do so. Failure to use two wrenches risks cracking the plastic case. Please read the regulator service manual...for any reg that has a plastic 2nd stage. There is a published torque spec for the tightening of the retaining nut. Accidental overtightening of that retaining nut (by using one wrench instead of two) is bad news.

FWIW, attachment of any hose to a first stage port only requires one wrench.

There is at least one reg on the market (Apeks Flight) that has a 2nd stage hose attachment which is meant to be hand-tightened only. On this particular reg, no wrenches should be used to remove/replace the hose from the 2nd stage.

 

[tadawson]

Firstly, most of my regs are all metal. Second, look at a Poseidon Cyclon sometime and tell me exactly where you would propose to put the second wrench? The only hex on the thing is on the hose . . . you *CAN'T* use two wrenches even if you want to! And it isn't a problem, *UNLESS YOU ARE A GORILLA!*

I never said that two wrenches wasn't an acceptabe idea, just that *THINGS DON'T NEED TO BE GORILLA TIGHT!*, and if not gorilla tight, the need for the second is minimal at best (well, save for flimsy plastic stuff, which I do admit, I refuse to own . . .).

What part of that don't you get?

And I don't generally buy plastic regs, but once again, on the one plastic Poseidon second I have, there is still noplace to employ a second wrench!

And I resent your "self appointed genius" attitude . . . you are very very close to finding yourself on my block list due to it!

- Tim

 

[Thalassamania]

Changing hoses is simple, best done with a properly size hose wrench or fuel line wrench, but I've done it in a pinch with pliers.

 

[Bubbletrubble]

Firstly, most of my regs are all metal. Second, look at a Poseidon Cyclon sometime and tell me exactly where you would propose to put the second wrench? The only hex on the thing is on the hose . . . you *CAN'T* use two wrenches even if you want to!

This clarifies things significantly. It would have been helpful for you to share earlier that you own a Poseidon reg which is different from the typical reg that divers encounter nowadays. Perhaps we could have avoided this misunderstanding.

From what I've read, in the regulator servicing world, the Poseidon regs are rather unique when it comes to serviceability. I've only seen Poseidon regs on a few occasions, and I have never personally worked on one. That being said, the majority of modern 2nd stage regs on the market nowadays are made of plastic. The OP didn't mention what brand/model reg he had, so I was basing my advice on a plastic 2nd stage. That's why I challenged your previous comments.

Having looked at an exploded parts diagram of the Cyclon 2nd stage I see what you mean about not being able to use two wrenches to install the hose. It makes no sense to use two wrenches to remove/replace hoses on your 2nd stage.

And I resent your "self appointed genius" attitude . . . you are very very close to finding yourself on my block list due to it!

I'm sorry if you found my comments offensive. As a point of order, I was not the one who asserted authority by claiming 30+ years of experience working on regs. I'm just a DIY-reg servicer who does it as a hobby with a range of experience limited to the regs I own and the regs I've helped friends service/tune. The OP is free to decide that your advice is based on more experience and follow it instead of the recommendations that I offered.

On another note, I will ask you to kindly reserve your threats. Feel free to place me on your ignore list. That's certainly your prerogative.

Have a nice day...

 

[tadawson]

Well, my statement of 30+ years was basically in response to you essentially calling me an idiot . . . I would not have mentioned it otherwise.

The point, which if anyone is still reading the thread, was, and continues to be, that a lot of folks tend to really over tighten host connections. Two wrenches make that mistake easier to make in some cases, and are needed on some plastic regs in others. (I make that comment since the Poseidon plastic bodies don't support dual wrenching either . . . so it can be done . . . ). Note that the Cyklon, Jetstream, and XSTream (all current production regs, btw) are all that way . . .

The key statement continues to be "snug is good, more is *NOT* better" . . . . however your reg wants you to do it.

- Tim

 

[Shftrdog]

I put lube on the o-rings and you will need to tighten all connections a little. Do not crank them down just snug

 

[Nolan]

I am in the process of ordering new hoses (for the first time) and plan on swapping them out myself. Thank you to Couv and others for posting instructions on how to do the change correctly. I see that a small mount of lube is to be used... any recommendations/requirements on type? Thank you in advance for any assistance.
-Nolan

 

[Jim Lapenta]

If you are not going to be using them for O2 service most shops carry little plastic containers of silicone lube. Used to use it myself until I started tech training. Using higher concentrations of O2 was the factor in me deciding to toss all the silicone stuff and use only Christolube or Tribolube for all applications. More expensive but you use so little as a diver (unless you are packing your own 1st stages with it) that 2 oz or so will last a very long time. I have a little container with .5 oz that has lasted me 3 years like the 2nd one noted here.

Christo Lube MCG 111 discounts on sale Innovative Scuba Concepts

CHRISTO-LUBE MCG-111 OXYGEN ORING LUBE 5g SQUEEZE TUBE | eBay

Tribolube sources:
Lubricants this is where I bought my last 2oz syringe from

Aerospace Lubricants Tribolube 71 - Dive Right In Scuba - Plainfield, IL


For o rings you only get a little on the tip of your finger and swirl with the thumb a bit then roll the oring around just enough to get a light sheen on it. More than that will attract and trap dirt. SPG spools I liberally use the stuff on the orings for it since they are dynamic. Hose orings are static and don't need near as much.

 

[Griffo]

Thanks to everyone for the replies. I'd actually forgotten I'd posted this as shortly after hitting the post button i ran into someone I know who services all his kit and answered my questions. I spent my youth rebuilding cars, so consider myself pretty handy with a wrench, but I have also learnt never to be afraid to ask basic questions as sometimes some gear does need to be assembled in a very special manner.
So thanks for the info.


BTW - i got a new set of regs assembled the other day, and after coming out of a pool test, i noticed I could actually unspin the hoses with my hands! I thought that was maybe a little loose, so nipped them up a bit. They're not supposed to be that loose are they?

 

[Bubbletrubble]

BTW - i got a new set of regs assembled the other day, and after coming out of a pool test, i noticed I could actually unspin the hoses with my hands! I thought that was maybe a little loose, so nipped them up a bit. They're not supposed to be that loose are they?

It sounds like you only installed the hoses hand-tight. They should definitely be snugged up tighter than that. Before going anywhere near the water, you should be checking each and every connection on the reg setup. That's part of doing a comprehensive pre-dive reg test. Loose hoses are not good at all.

Vance Harlow's Scuba Regulator Maintenance and Repair book is a wonderful reference for anyone interested in doing DIY reg servicing. The text provides numerous useful tips on performing overhauls, tuning regs, and appreciating differences among various reg designs. There's also a nice little section on why it would be prudent to use two wrenches to tighten up the junction between the LP reg hose and the vast majority of plastic 2nd stage regs. I highly recommend getting this book. It will answer a lot of the questions you'll have on the subject.